The legislation, which mirrors the bill introduced in the Assembly earlier this summer by Alison Littell McHose (R-24) and Michael Patrick Carroll (R-25), would repeal the Global Warming Response Act and the companion legislation that created the RGGI cap-and-trade-program originally passed in 2007 under Jon Corzine.

Currently, New Jersey is one of ten states participating in the RGGI cooperative. To date, eight RGGI auctions have taken place extracting over $660 million in revenue. New Jersey’s share of $65 million was diverted by Governor Christie in the FY 2011 budget to plug the revenue shortfall. And last week the governor announced plans to use RGGI funds to subsidize a wasteful windmill project off of New Jersey’s coast.

Senator Doherty issued the following statement: “There are many credible members of the scientific community that have questioned the theory of global warming. New Jersey's citizens and businesses do not need economically damaging regulations or energy based taxes that are prompted by the global warming hysteria of recent years.”

Americans for Prosperity state director Steve Lonegan thanked both legislators for taking a stand on this issue.

“Senators Doherty and Oroho both recognize that cap-and-trade is nothing less than an insidious tax on energy. They understand that such a tax will make our state less competitive, kill jobs, and force ratepayers to bear the cost in the way of skyrocketing utility bills.”

“In recent weeks, we have also discovered some stunning and disturbing news about the way the RGGI program operates. There is a total lack of transparency with RGGI bureaucrats refusing open records requests and failing to disclose the salaries of their employees; salaries paid by the taxpayers of New Jersey,” said Lonegan. “The clandestine way in which this program operates is all the more reason RGGI needs to be repealed and New Jersey needs to withdraw from this scheme now.”

“We thank Senators Doherty and Oroho for their courageous effort to put an end to the ill-conceived RGGI program and we look forward to other legislators, and the governor, joining with them to do what is in the best interests of our state.”